Letter scale



Feb. 23, 1 937. KAPLAN 2,072,037

LETTER SCALE Filed May 30, 1931 nnmm: L

v Illlllllllll m lllA INVEN TOR.

Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LETTER SCALE Application May 30, 1931, Serial No. 541,129

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a desk accessory and more particularly to a combined envelope opener and postage scale.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind consisting of an envelope opener and a device to weigh the envelope, housed in the handle thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature having means associated with a weight device for gripping said envelope.

Still another object of the invention is to confine said gripping device wholly within said handle.

'5 Still a further object of the invention is to provide manual means for operating the gripping means.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the disclosure progresses. The drawing is intended to merely indicate a possible embodiment of the invention. It is obvious that the actual needs of manufacture may necessitate certain mechanical changes. It is therefore not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated but rather to define such limits in the appended claims.

For a more general understanding of the invention attention is called to the drawing. In the drawing like reference characters denote like parts throughout the specification.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device shown. holding an envelope.

Figure 2 is a front view of the device.

Figure 3 is a similar view as Figure 2 but showing the handle in section.

Figure v4 is a rear view Figure 5 is a section on Figure 6 is a section on Figure 7 is a section on and Figure 8 is a perspective view of the gripping elements.

Referring now to the drawing in detail numeral I designates the casing formed into a blade portion 2 and a handle portion 3. The blade portion is provided with sharpened edges 4 and 5 and a tapered point 6. The handle portion is hollowed out and inserted in the cavity 1 is a weighing and indicating means. Said means comprises a tension spring 8 suspended from an eye 9, a resilient gripping element Ill and an indicating arm ll fastened to said gripping element. The gripping element, as best seen in Figure 8 composed of two steel legs l2 and l3 of the device.

line 55 of Figure 2. line 6-6 of Figure 5. line 1-1 of Figure 5,

fastened together face to face at the top by the rivet I4 while the lower ends are bent outwardly in the shape of the letter A. At the bottom of each arm are plates I5 and IS. The inner ends H of the plates are serrated in order to more firmly grip the letter being weighed While the outer ends fit in the pockets l8 of the handle.

The indicating arm II is fastened to the gripping element above the rivet H and the free end thereof is disposed between the scale plate l5 and the glass window I6 as seen in Figure 6. Means are provided to manually operate the steel arms I2 and I3. Said means consists of a square ring l9 provided with a rod 20 which protrudes out of the slot 2| of the handle. When the ring is moved down the lower legs l2 and I3 will come together and when the ring is raised the legs, due to their inherent resiliency, will spread apart. Thus the legs l2 and [3 may be made to grip letters of various thicknesses. Printed on the scale plate l5 are a series of graduations 22 associated with figures for indicating the weight of the letter. Around the window i6 is a frame 23 for holding the glass in place. Cut in the bottom of the handle is a clearance slot 24 for allowing the envelope to enter between the gripping plates l5 and It.

To weigh a letter the blade is held by the hand and a letter is placed between the plates l5 and I6. The ring I9 is then pushed down causing the gripping members to come together and hold the letter. The letter is then freely suspended so its weight can move the indicator down and thereby ascertain the weight of the letter. When the letter is removed the indicator will move back to zero on the scale. The indicator moves in unison with gripping mechanism so that when the gripping members are moved up or down the indicator will move in the same direction. It will be noted that the plates l5 and I6 extend outwardly of the legs. This is purposely arranged so that the said extensions can beheld when moving the ring l9 downwardly and prevent the gripping member from moving down before the letter is taken hold of.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple, practical and efficient desk accessory for weighing and opening letters. All the weighing mechanism is confined within the handle and will in no way interfere with the device when used to open envelopes.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A desk accessory including an elongated hollow body open at one end and closed at the other, said body having a sight opening in one side, a spring scale within said body provided with a pair of normally open spring jaws normally housed within the body, means within the body for moving said jaws together against their spring action, and means accessible from the exterior of the body for actuating the last mentioned means.

2. A desk accessory including an elongated hollow body open at one end and closed at the other, said body having a sight opening in one side, a spring scale within said body provided with a pair of article gripping jaws normally housed within the body, said jaws forming a pair of spring members normally diverging towards their gripping ends, a ring slidably mounted on said jaws to force them toward each other upon movement towards the free ends of the jaws, and means accessible from the exterior of the body for manipulating said ring.

3. A desk accessory including an elongated hollow body open at one end and closed at the other, said body having a sight opening in one side, a spring scale within said body provided with a pair of article gripping jaws normally housed within the body, said jaws forming a pair of spring members normally diverging towards their gripping ends, a ring slidably mounted on said jaws to force them toward each other upon movement towards the free end of the jaws, said body having a slot therein opposite said ring, and a rod fixed to the ring and projecting through said slot whereby to manipulate the ring.

4. A desk accessory including an elongated hollow body open at one end and closed at the other, said body having a sight opening in one side, a spring scale within said body provided with a pair of article gripping jaws normally housed within the body, said jaws forming a pair of spring members normally diverging towards their gripping ends, a ring slidably mounted on said jaws to force them toward each other upon movement towards the free end of the jaws, said body having a slot therein opposite said ring, and a rod fixed to the ring and projecting through said slot whereby to manipulate the ring, said slot being open at the open end of the body to permit the rod to pass free of the body in use.

5. A desk accessory including an elongated hollow body open at one end and closed at the other, said body having a sight opening in one side, a spring scale within said body provided with a pair of normally open spring jaws normally housed within the body, means Within the body for moving said jaws together against their spring action, means accessible from the exterior of the body for actuating the last mentioned means, terminal plates on the ends of said jaws extending across the respective ends to provide finger grips at their outer ends and article grips at their inner ends, said body being slotted inwardly from its open end to permit an article to be inserted between said article grips.

6. A desk accessory including an elongated hollow body open at one end and closed at the other, said body having a sight opening in one side, a spring scale within said body provided with a pair of article gripping jaws normally housed Within the body, said jaws forming a pair of spring members normally diverging towards their gripping ends, a ring slidably mounted on said jaws to force them towards each other upon movement towards the free ends of the jaws, means accessible from the exterior of the body for manipulating said ring, and plates on the ends of said jaws extending across the respective ends to provide finger grips at their outer ends and article grips at their inner ends, said body being slotted inwardly from its open end to permit an article to be inserted between said v article grips.

'7. A desk accessory including an elongated hollow body open at one end and closed at the other, said body having a sight opening in one side, a spring scale Within said body provided with a pair of article gripping jaws normally housed within the body, said jaws forming a pair of spring members normally diverging towards their gripping ends, a ring slidably mounted on said jaws to force them toward each other upon movement towards the free end of the jaws, said body having a slot therein opposite said ring, a rod fixed to the ring and projecting through said slot whereby to manipulate the ring, and

terminal plates on the ends of said jaws extending across the respective ends to provide finger grips at their outer ends and article grips at their inner ends, said body being slotted inwardly from its open end to permit an article to be inserted between said article grips.

8. A desk accessory including an elongated hollow body open at one end and closed at the other, said body having a sight opening in one side, a spring scale within said body provided with a pair of article gripping jaws normally housed within the body, said jaws forming a pair of spring members normally diverging towards their gripping ends, a ring slidably mounted on said jaws to force them toward each other upon movement towards the free end of the jaws, said body having a slot therein opposite said ring, a rod fixed to the ring and projecting through said slot whereby to manipulate the ring, said slot being open at the open end of the body to permit the rod to pass free of the body in use, and terminal plates on the ends of said jaws extending across the respective ends to provide finger grips at their outer ends and article grips at their inner ends, said body being slotted inwardly from its open end to permit an article to be inserted between said article grips.

JACOB KAPLAN. 

